Restless Legs Syndrome

Restless Legs Syndrome, or for short RLS.

Little is known about it. It has medical science befuddled and the natural functions of the body in disarray. Whilst melatonin from the brain is preparing the body for a night of fitful sleep your legs are planning a party of their own.

People suffering from RLS are driven by an unstoppable urge to keep moving their legs. This compulsion is often painful, and increases at night and when lying down. The end result is lack of sleep, and in severe cases, anxiety and depression.

Medical science admits that research into RLS is still in its infancy. Although many researchers believe that it’s linked to other serious conditions such as heart, lung, and kidney disorders, it seems to often be activated by something as simple as excessive caffeine or too little exercise.

Unless the RLS can be tied to an underlying sickness there simply is no medical cure for it. Prescribed medicines can at best only bring brief relief and often have side effects like dizziness, nausea and daytime sleepiness.

A change in lifestyle often produces the best results and watching what goes in and through the mouth is a good start. Alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and sugar are big culprits. Activities like stretching and hot or cold packs to the affected area are also said to bring relief but again, not everyone benefits from this.

Remedies😄

As always, there are the regular weird and wonderful tales of the unexplainable miracle cures. Crazy as it seems, they come with loads of testimonies from lifelong sufferers, while there are many others that experienced no relief whatsoever.

Soap

A popular remedy is placing a bar of plain soap devoid of deodorants and antibacterial ingredients between the mattress and the sheet at the foot end of the bed and go to sleep. There’s nothing else to do. It’s as easy as that.

For some it works from the first night, for some it takes 2 or 3 nights while for many others the party mode continues unabated.

Why it works nobody knows, but for the little effort it takes it’s well worth a try.

Turmeric

Another popular treatment for RLS is the ingesting of a teaspoon of Turmeric, mixed with a half a glass of water, before retiring for the night. Closer to home, I have a sister that swears by it. Since discovering this neat little trick she has become a bit of a party pooper and no longer has inexplicable urges to breakdance around the room.

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) & Magnesium Bisglycinate

RLS is also attributed to a lack of essential minerals in the body and many sufferers have found relieve by boosting there system with magnesium, a known antidote for cramps and pain in the legs. The problem is that our body typically absorbs only 20-50% of the magnesium that’s ingested.

The role of ACV in combating RLS is that it assists the body to absorb and retain magnesium, more specifically magnesium bisglycinate.

Take the tablets and 1to 2 tablespoons of ACV in a glass of water about an hour before bedtime. Many people claim to have experienced effective results from the first night.

OCEAN’S Apple Cider Vinegar is a natural, raw and unfiltered product. Made from fresh, crushed, organically grown apples it is left to ferment and mature in its own time, a process that can take months. The real McCoy Apple Cider Vinegars like OCEAN’S contains a cloudy bacterial substance called “mother” that is normally not found in the over-processed commercial varieties and is said to be a complex structure of beneficial acids that are crammed with health benefits.